Craft a Thanksgiving or Christmas Cornucopia
Cornucopia Angel or Thanksgiving Place Setting, Simple is Best
Nov 3, 2009
Cornucopias are a traditional symbol of Thanksgiving bounty. They are often used as large centerpieces filled with the fruits of harvest. Here's a little twist on the traditional cornucopias. Simply twist pieces of paper into cornucopias and use as napkin holders for your holiday table. Write each guest's name on a cornucopia, if desired. Click the pictures below for a larger view. In addition, use filled cornucopias to hang on the Christmas tree, and make this simple Christmas angel from three cornucopias.
Materials and Supplies List
- Paper - Almost any paper will work. Card stock is a bit too stiff. Double sided scrapbooking paper and Christmas wrapping paper are used in the pictures. This is a great way to use those little pieces of leftover wrapping paper. If the paper is one sided, make 2 cones, one with the good side in and one with the good side out and put one inside the other. This is a great way to recycle ripped Christmas bags.
- Double sided tape or glue dots
- Paper clips
- Ribbon
- Glue
- Buttons, charms, bells, and other decorative items
- 3 mm tinsel chenille stems for angel
- small plastic curtain rings for angel
- small Styrofoam ball for angel
Start With a Rectangle of Paper
An 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper makes a good sized cornucopia. Practice rolling on a piece of paper that otherwise would have been trashed. Other paper sizes to make smaller cornucopias:
- 7" x 9 1/2"
- 5 1/2" x 8"
- 4" x 6 1/2"
- 2 1/2 " x 5"
Instructions for left handed rolling are in parentheses.
- Place the piece of paper in front of you as you would to read a letter.
- Tightly roll the bottom right (left) corner into a small pointed cone.
- Lift and roll the bottom left (right) corner toward the right (left) side of the paper to make the cone larger and finish rolling.
- Secure the top right (left) corner of the paper on the outside of the cone with a paper clip.
- Tape the bottom left (right) corner of the paper on the inside of the cone.
- Remove the paper clip, and use double stick tape or a glue dot to secure the corner to the cone.
How to Assemble the Angel
Make 1 large cornucopias and 2 smaller ones for the angel. Follow the steps below to assemble the angel.
- Run 3 chenille stems through 3 tiny plastic curtain rings, bending the stem in half so that the ring is in the middle.
- Push the stems through the 3 cornucopias from the inside. Both stem ends are coming out of the pointed end, and the rings act as a stop to keep them from pulling through.
- Position the 3 cornucopias with the points together and wrap one of the stem ends around the others to hold them together.
- Tape or glue the small cornucopias against the sides of the large one.
- Poke a hole through the center of the Styrofoam ball with a needle, knitting needle, or skewer.
- Push one stem end through the ball and form a halo.
- Wrap the remaining stem ends around the neck.
- Fold a white piece of paper in half and cut out a wing shape. Glue or tape the wings on the back.
This is a simple and fun craft that uses leftover pieces of scrapbooking paper and Christmas wrap. You also may be interested in "Recycle Old Christmas Cards". May your holidays and your cornucopias be overflowing.
HOL101
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